The end of the watch for 4-year-old Hempstead County Deputy Sheriff Jonathan Keen, badge number 699, was 08/27/2017 announced Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton Tuesday.
"It is with heavy hearts the Hempstead County Sheriff's Office announces the death of our youngest deputy," said Singleton.
"Deputy Sheriff Jonathan Keen age 4, passed away Sunday Aug. 27, at Children's Hospital in Little Rock after a long hard fight with cancer" he said.
Jonathan was appointed as a "Deputy Sheriff Special Assistant to the Sheriff" by Singleton on Dec. 16, 2016 while he was being treated at children's hospital in Little Rock.
"Our prayers are with his mother, dad, brother and sister during this time," Singleton said.
Jonathan's funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Brazzel Funeral Home on South Main Street in Hope, Arkansas.
Hempstead County Sheriff deputies will serve as pallbearers
A smile from 4-year-old Johnathan Keen of Hope, Ark., gave a Christmas feeling to a "big belly sheriff" and four deputies in a previously published story about Deputy Sheriff Jonathan.
Johnathan was a neuroblastoma cancer patient at the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock.
He dreamed about becoming a deputy sheriff.
Singleton and four of his deputies, Investigator Justin Crane, Deputy Matt Dunham, Deputy Mike Braddock and Deputy Becky Billings, traveled to Little Rock just before Christmas to help take care of the "newest" deputy.
Johnathan attended the swearing-in ceremony resting on the hospital bed. Johnathan is the son of Eric and Andrea Keen of Hope. Singleton said Johnathan's father is a former sheriff department employee.
Johnathan was also assigned an official sheriff's battery-operated patrol car decked out with sheriff decals.
For a brief time, the nurses helped Johnathan drive the toy car down the hallway before he returned to his bed.
After the ceremony last Christmas, the sheriff and his deputies presented Johnathan with presents.
Several business and citizens of Hempstead County contributed funds to buy Christmas presents for Johnathan's sister and brother, who were able to attend the Sheriff's Christmas Party.
"Johnathan was pretty tickled and managed to smile. He was weak and you could tell he didn't feel too good," Singleton said.
"All of us have kids and some have grandkids. We wanted to make Christmas better than average. His smile made it Christmas," he said.
The sheriff had made arrangements for Santa Claus to personally deliver those presents to his brother and sister.
"I can't explain the feeling. It's just a Christmas feeling. It made Johnathan's day a little better," Singleton said, who described himself as the "big belly sheriff."